In a world ruled by fear of Mother Nature, where feckless heads of corporations play games with the lives of ordinary Americans. Utility companies so powerful they seem recalcitrant to even the highest levels of government. Can one man stop the Enron of the east before it's too late? The fate of civilization rests on his shoulders as he claws his way back to civilization.
Tropical Storm “Irene” and its sequel “the October Nor’easter” have played out more dramatically than a Hollywood blockbuster. There is the newly elected governor pandering to the giant electric company by telling citizens to expect a Third World-pace of restoration. The local officials dispairing over the corrupt way this utility has neglected their constituents, and of course the obligatory hard luck stories of the people themselves in a world useless without electricity.
However, what we are left with is more sickly than the utter devastation on the ground. Taken in totality with everything happening around the nation and the world, one could easily draw parallels with the decline of the Roman Empire. The loss of essential services, declining social mores, a government paralyzed and unable to fix its own mistakes. The overbearing costs of multiple war campaigns and an influx of people straining its infrastructure.
What was missed in hindsight may serve only to highlight the future. Think for a moment. What could we expect of our leaders if Hurricane Katrina had happened right about now? Given our fiscal situation, would our government be able to make so much as a dent in rebuilding an area the size of the United Kingdom? So what happens then? The return of feudalism? There are many, many pitfalls here. What about bird flu or mad cow? What kind of world would we find ourselves in if a global outbreak affected our food supply? Obviously, you could kiss the dollar menus goodbye.
The truth is, though civilization has evolved over centuries, it is still veneer thin and just as brittle as the trees brought down all around us. Our wealth as a nation has gentrified us but that too has been compromised. The perfect storm has been dodged for now and may never hit. However, I think we all should be looking towards the 2012 elections and saying to ourselves, "if I were trapped in a category 5 hurricane, would I want this person in power".
Now, I don't take umbrage with rank-and-file utility workers and nor should you. The corporate ethos comes from those much higher up the utility pole. But for those effected by either "weather event,” I have an idea. With the Advent season just around the corner, take a drive and find yourself a Christmas tree. Find one that might jeopardize electric service if it were to fall during inclement weather. Ask the owner for permission and then call Enron east to come and cut it down. Tell them you are doing them a favor. The way I see it, they owe you one.
